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Did she say “wind”? Obviously, she’s never been out West and seen these miles of “wind farms”. Not only do they destroy the beauty of the area but their noise never ceases. It’s this constant roar. Let’s put about 500 of them on and off the coast and see how it goes. Even the small individual units disrupt the quiet of a neighborhood with their roar. They make an oil rig look like a peaceful oasis.

And solar is no walk in the park. It takes hundreds of acres and thousands of panels. Talk about a blight on the landscape. Solar has its place no doubt, but like wind, there’s a limited number of places in the U.S. it’s physically and financially viable. Just as wind requires a certain number of “wind” days, solar requires sun exposure or “sun” days.

Again, it’s that “not in my backyard” mentality at work here. Give me my energy soaking home, condo, car, clothes, sunglasses and so on, but don’t take “my” stuff to make them. Let the other guy pay.

It’s hard to take a group seriously that I suspect is driven more by protecting their investment: condo, home, view, agents. Almost a sort of “class” warfare. They throw out terms like wind, solar, or whatever eco-friendly term is hot for the day and really don’t have a clue. I’m fortunate I get to travel 150 to 200 days a year. I see first hand what a wind farm is, what a solar array is, what drought really is. How idiots with allergies moved to Arizona for their health only to plant grass and bushes and then spend thousands of gallons of precious water to make it grow and then wonder why their allergy came back.

It probably doesn’t matter to you that most of these wind and solar projects are built on public lands, yours and mine, and now valleys, roads, streams and mountains that were once accessible are cut off by fences and gates, most with armed guards. It also probably doesn’t matter to you that the folks living near these projects have some of the lowest income. But, hey, they’re the little people who cares if their beautiful lands and quiet nights are disturbed.

Sorry if an oil rig doesn’t really concern me. It would, however, be interesting to know the backgrounds of the organizers. I doubt they’re Joe or Jill Average busting it for eight bucks and hour, or less, seeing themselves herded into smaller chunks of the beach as more and more access points are made harder to, well access.

As I’ve said before, pristine is such a subjective term. To the Native Americans it was a temporary camp in the winter with fishing and hunting. To the first home owner it was peace and quiet with no body around. To the present day 20+ floor monoliths and their owners concerned only with keeping the view and the sand unobstructed.

The last serious oil spill in coastal waters was in Santa Barbara in the late 60’s. Think that maybe technology has improved since then?

Just some food for thought: People need oil to get to the Emerald Coast. I remember when the price of gas shot way up and tourism was hurting and those who were coming were spending less because more had to go in the gas tank. And… it drove airfare sky high. (What good is Southwest coming if the price of air is so high that no one uses it and they leave)?

If they are drilling far off enough that you can’t see the rig, and if the rig isn’t leaking (today’s environmental standards are very stringent), AND… the positive economic impact to Florida is in the billions, why the fuss?

It isn’t like Peter Bos is sticking an oil rig in Destin Harbor or the state is going to be selling oil leases on Henderson Beach.

Seems like only a couple hundred people showed up. Saw a poll recently that said 65% of Floridians are NOT opposed to drilling in the GulF for oil and gas as long as they are out of sight (Thats outside of the 15 mile line-of-sight curvature of the earth). Energy exploration & retrieval benefits the ENTIRE country and weans us off Middle East oil. Unfortunately the not-in-my-backyard group gets all the media ink and Dave Rauschkalb, “hands” organizer and owner of “Bud & Allies” restaurant/bar in Seaside has been “working” the media for months.

Two hundred people gathered, that is not enough to warrant news coverage. I’m one of the thousands of beach front owners that favor the off shore rigs. As quoted earlier, they can’t be seen from the beach. Get some knowledge, we need to become energy self-sufficient.

I just got back from Houma Louisianna for Mardi Gras. It was so refreshing riding thru upscale neighborhoods with no for sale signs in them. Most people that work there are directly or indirectly involved with the oil fields. It helps the economy and brings in good paying jobs plus its safe. I say lets drill.

It is time to drill for oil and natural gas out in the gulf. The chance for a spill is slim to none. Look at the history of these efforts in other places in the US. This is just an uproar over nothing.

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